Michelmas

So does that make you a thief then? You have a fully approved ESTA that they completed on your behalf and they received no payment for it. I think it would only be fair that you insist they keep the $14 that the would have paid to complete it. (I am aware you did one yourself afterward, but that was your choice)

Oh, and after publicly vilifying this company as a scam, I would think it would show a lot of character if you were to retract that and offer them a public apology in the same forum that you libeled them.

katq

I still don't approve of what they do, but I wanted to say that at least
they refunded the money. As for making me apologize I am not sure why I have to apologize to them: I tried writing to them and be able to discuss it, calling them (on a number they published and doesn't seem to work) - nothing happened for a few days, until I emailed them to say that I will ask my bank to investigate the transaction and get in touch with them since I was unable to. This is when they replied in one sentence that they will refund me - for what reason I don't know. I'm glad they did, but I still don't know who they are, if they want people to trust them they should put a working telephone number there at least and provide proper customer service and not customer ignoring. Google is still flagging their site as phishing and they should be the ones to retract that and have it removed if they think it's not true. I think there is something not right about google advertising websites that their own software is flagging as phishing, don't you? The way I see it is from every customer's point of view: I was made to pay for service on the internet in advance and I wasn't given a chance to cancel it, although I did everything possible. The ESTA is not something that they "instantly" gave me, they had the chance to just refund me without applying like I asked them not to. They didn't reply at all. It is either bad customer service or they just didn't want the trouble of my bank calling them, whatever it is it definitely doesn't make me feel like a thief! The internet is full of people complaining from websites like this and they don't seem a lot more complimentary about them than I am in their reactions. I thought it would be useful for people here who weren't aware of this to avoid these companies in the future and I hope it will be.

Duncan Roberts

You're assuming that it's a big outfit, it's probably some guy doing it in his spare time who may not check their email on a daily basis. It was clearly stated multiple times on the web page that you are paying them to do something that you can do yourself for no extra charge, even if you didn't pay attention to it, and they do offer some extras that the official site doesn't. It's not phishing and it certainly isn't a scam seeing as they refunded your money in full and took a loss themselves. That's outstanding customer service if you ask me, even if it took a little while.

On the subject of google flagging the site. Do you really think they have a team of people who go to each site and decide if it's a phishing site and then put it in their database? It's all automated and it's not perfect. It will flag legit sites as bad in the hope that they will get the most actual bad sites rather than miss some. It's up to the user to decide if it really is bad. I's like a road sign that says "Caution, road may be slippery." It doesn't guarantee the road is slippery but giving you a heads up that it might be so keep your eyes open.

katq

I am completely satisfied with the final outcome and I am pleased that they did that and already thanked them. I was just not agreeing with being called a thief myself earlier. I asked them not to apply in advance, because I have already applied individually and paid the fee, it was their choice to refund me the full amount, and to be honest I think it was the right thing to do, although I wouldn't have argued, because I overlooked something in the first place as well as they overlooked my first timely request. But they did it and I am happy with that and I thought I should say this here in their fairness.

May be I have to distance myself from the term "scam" because it is completely overused on the internet, especially when it comes to these ESTA websites. I was reading an article before about the response of the US embassy to these websites and here is part of what it says:

"A spokesman for the U.S. embassy in London said it is well aware of the sites but is unable to shut them down. "We can't do anything about them because in many cases they are providing the service they charge for. The U.S. flag, which appears on their images, is not copyrighted. Is it ethical? You be the judge of that."

The spokesman confirmed the unofficial Web sites provide no value beyond what travelers can obtain for themselves when applying directly for ESTA authorization. They do not expedite the granting of approval to travel. "

So, this is my personal judgement - it is not right and not ethical to rely on people's unawareness.

ian-mstm

With respect, it is not Google that is flagging their site. It is your browser software. Google, as a search engine, is not responsible regardless of how much you want to blame them. If you don't understand how Google works, I suggest you stay away from it.


No, you weren't.

Ian

katq

Ok, Ian, may be you understand google better, but they also have a reporting feature: http://www.google.com/safebrowsing/report_phish/

I do actually know someone working there so I will check about that, until then I will stay away))

And what I meant to say was: I was made to pay for service on the internet in advance...

Duncan Roberts

Do you understand how the real world works? Would you go into a store, pick up what you want, walk out with it, go home, see if you like it and then pay the store? Would you order something from Amazon and expect to pay after it had been delivered? Even the official ESTA site makes you pay for it in advance!

katq

On Amazon and Ebay people heavily rely on other people's feedback when they pay for something in advance and order it. I doubt this is of any concern to them when it is the official government website. But in all instances what people are always entitled to is:

"A 'cooling off' period during which an order can be cancelled without any reason and a full refund made."

Duncan Roberts

Why are people always entitled to a cooling off period and get a full refund regardless of the reason?

katq

This is how I understand at least the rules for online purchases in the UK:

http://www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/aft...g/your-rights/

katq

There are exceptions but I don't think this type of service can qualify for a financial service...I don't know actually what it can be classified as...scam? Hehe, ok, not scam)

Duncan Roberts

"If you have bought online from a UK-based company"

Just because you are in the UK and there is a UK address on the website, it doesn't mean that the company is UK based.

katq

Well, the first thing I did after I paid was to look them up on the companies house website: so they definitely are a UK registered company:

http://wck2.companieshouse.gov.uk/e6...bf/compdetails

That's why I though I was right to ask them to cancel it before they sent me the Esta confirmation...I don't know if I know the world I live in, but I hope at least I know the country

meauxna

Hey, are you interviewing to work for the Internet Police?


I really think everyone's had their two cents in on this topic... so I'm going to close it now.